Written In The Stars
by MessOfADreamer4
Summary: AU What if Regina and Robin Hood met after Regina ran from the tavern but before she became the Evil Queen? For when a love is written in the stars, fate won't rest until it has made itself known. OutlawQueen Multi-Chapter Fic
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you for clicking on my story. This is my first OUAT chapter fic, so hang in with me! I hope you guys enjoy, please review and let me know what you think! This story takes place a few months after Regina runs out from the tavern after seeing the man with the lion tattoo. Fate intervenes once again, pushing Regina and Robin Hood together :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of it's characters, I merely give them their happy endings :)**

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Chapter 1

The leaves were just starting to turn bright shades of orange and red as Regina traveled through the Sherwood Forest, the royal carriage returning her to the palace after representing the King at various events that week for he had caught a cold and the nurse had deemed him too ill to travel but assured Regina he would recover just fine. It had felt like the longest week, filled with royal duties she had to force herself to smile for. This wasn't what her life should have been; she should have been living with Daniel, free in a little village as far away from her mother as possible. But no, instead she lived the life others only dreamed of yet she would rather live in the forest. She stared out of the carriage watching the forest as it passed her by, thinking how the brightly colored leaves gave false hope for they were beautiful but soon they would fall leaving a dead forest in its wake until the spring would bring it back to life. She sighed, resting her head on her hand as she leaned against the window, slowly drifting off to sleep.

Suddenly a loud thump awoke the queen from her slumber; she startled awake realizing it was coming from the roof of her carriage but before she could crane her head to look out the window, the carriage starting jerking in every direction and threw her across the bench. It felt as if the carriage was going out of control and would topple over at any second. She was thrown to the floor and lying on her stomach when she managed to grab the handle on the door and pull herself up enough to look out the window. They were definitely not on the main road anymore as tree branches were blocking her view, making her nearly miss a stone that broke through the window. She quickly ducked back down to the floor, the stone landing on the bench above her as shards of glass flew everywhere. It was then the carriage came to a sudden halt, jerking her forward with a loud thud. She slowly stood up but felt dizzy so she put her hand out to catch herself but realized too late the bench was covered in glass from the broken window. It wedged in her skin, her hand now bleeding and she must have hit her head along the way because she had a massive headache. When she regained her balance once more she opened the door but all she saw was a hooded man before the world faded to black.

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He'd been out hunting for deer when he'd heard the scream echo through the forest. It sounded like it came from the north and if someone was in danger he needed to help. He'd been running for what seemed like ages before he came across what looked like the scene of the crime. In a small clearing a carriage had toppled over; no sign of a coachman or steeds obviously the work of a thief looking for a quick dime. He slipped his bow over his back and searched the clearing for any sign of life. That's when he saw the black hair sticking out of the carriage and found a woman who was unconscious inside. She looked familiar but he shook it off his mind, it didn't matter at the moment he had more pressing things to worry about. He gently lifted her in his arms removing her from the carriage and laid her down on a pile of foliage, assessing the extent of her injuries. She had a minor cut on her cheek and bruises beginning to form as well. The most gruesome was a gash by her hairline which needed tending to prevent infection. There was also glass strewn throughout her hair and her in right hand as well which was reddened from the blood. He caressed her cheek, promising himself he'd take care of her until she was well enough to go home. She was stunningly beautiful and he couldn't help but wonder as he lifted her back into his arms, what she would be like once she woke.

He brought her back to his camp and laid her in his make shift bed. He removed her cloak, revealing a beautiful satin gown underneath and decided to leave her dressed, it was not his place and it seemed comfortable enough for the time being. He began by washing her face and cleaning the gash on her forehead, rubbing some homemade salve on before covering it with a bandage. Then he filled a bucket of water and washed her ebony hair, picking out the pieces of glass and brushing the silky strands before doing the same for her hand. He took in her appearance once more, after he had bandaged her hand and had tucked her into a clean blanket he brought in off the line outside. She looked peaceful; he imagined she lived a luxurious life if her dress was anything to go by. He started to wonder what she was like; did she like nature or riding horses? What would she say to him when she woke up? Would she even like him? He traced her body, his eyes landing on a necklace she was wearing. He hadn't noticed it before but as he looked closer he realized it was engraved with a symbol of sorts. He took it between his fingers, before looking at the woman then back to locket. It was the royal the coat of arms; and then it clicked. That's why she had looked so familiar; he had saved the bloody Queen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here it is, chapter 2! I hope you like it, please review! :)**  


**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, A+E have that privilege ;)**

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Chapter 2

For the umpteenth time since he'd save the Queen Robin found himself pacing outside of his tent. It had been 3 days and she still hadn't awakened and he was getting worried. What if she never came back? No, he wouldn't let the Queen die in his care; she was going to make it out of his camp alive he had anything to say about it. But she was the bloody Queen! What was he going to tell is merry men? One thing was for sure, that she wasn't the Queen. If they found out they'd want to dispose of her as soon as possible, they were all thieves and none of them would want to risk their lives or be imprisoned for the crimes they've done. Thankfully most of his men didn't know what she looked like, he'd only known because he'd been in town during the time of her coronation and he attended for it had been the perfect place for pick pocketing. Not that he'd ever tell her that. He went to the stream to fill the bucket once again with water and mixed up a new batch of salve to put on her wounds. She was still out when he returned so he began replacing her bandages, making sure they were kept clean. He had just finished cleaning the wound on her forehead when she began to stir.

The first thing Regina felt when she woke was a jabbing pain on her head like someone was repeatedly hitting it with a hammer. She moved trying to get in a more comfortable position when she realized she was in a bed, just not her bed. It was hard and scratchy, most likely straw. Where the hell was she? She opened her eyes to find a blue pair staring back at her.

"Where I am?" she asked, wincing from the pain as she tried to sit up but with no avail.

The man with the blue eyes leaned back from her, sitting on a stool that was perched beside the bed, "You are in the camp of the Merry Men, your majesty. In the Sherwood forest,"

"You know who I am?" She was surprised someone who lived in a tent would recognize her, but she was Queen, so who knew?

"Yes, I found you and your carriage – well more like the ruins of your carriage in the forest, quite a ways from the road that passes through here. Another thief must have taken control of your carriage to get some gold or something of the sort. You were injured quite badly so I brought you back to my camp. The name's Robin of Locksley by the way," He smiled and looked her over, "How are you feeling your majesty?"

"Other than a splitting headache and not being able to move, I'm fine" She began shuffling in the bed once more, slowly but surely sitting up and crossing her arms. She looked at her savior; he was quite handsome and seemed genuinely concerned for her. He smiled at her again, making her blush? She shook the thought out of her head and played with the blanket in her hands. "You can call me Regina by the way,"

"What a beautiful name," he smiled, making her blush once more.

"Thanks," she looked at him again, giving him a slight smile.

He broke their eye contact getting up from his chair, looking as if he had forgotten something

"Oh, m'lady I have some bread and water ready for you, are you hungry at all?" He asked, exiting the tent anyways before she could give a reply.

"That sounds good, I don't think I could eat much else," she said smoothing the blanket again.

He entered the tent again with a loaf of bread under his arm and two glasses of water in his hand.

"That's what I thought, here" he placed the glasses on a small trunk by the bed and broke a piece of the bread giving a piece to her and taking one for himself.

"Hmm, this is good" Regina mumbled after taking a bite.

"It was made this morning, I went to town when you were still out." He explained, taking a sip of water.

His comment made her pause, while she was out? Had she been sleeping for a long time? "How long have I been out for?"

"3 days m'lady, for a bit I thought you might not come back but you're too stubborn to go that easy aren't you Regina?"

She smiled at his remark, she liked the way he said her name. His accent was to die for but 3 days? The King was going to kill her when she returned, he was probably worried sick – well he was sick but he must be going out of his mind. Yet, she didn't really want to go home. She felt safe here and for the first time in forever she wasn't the Queen or 'Your Majesty'. To Robin she was just Regina. She smiled at the thought before Robin pulled her back out into reality.

"Regina?" she loved the way he said her name, almost lovingly?

"Oh, I was just thinking the King must be worried; I wouldn't be surprised if he's already sent out search parties to find me." She sighed, half hoping he wouldn't find her so she wouldn't have to go back the palace or in her mind the prison.

"Well, he won't find you here. We merry men take every caution when picking out camping locations. Speaking of should we contact him so he knows you're alive at the very least?"

"I, I suppose so" she closed her eyes; it seemed Robin of Locksley was an honorable thief.

"I wouldn't suggest moving you back yet; you're in no state for travel. I'll let him know you're safe and leave it at that. Is that alright?"

"Yes, that would be fine. Thank you" She smiled at him again, this man was being so kind to her even if they were strangers. She didn't know if she would ever be able to repay him.

"I'll go send the message now, hopefully there's a bird nearby I hate it when I have to chase after them, bloody birds!" He said as he put on his cloak and slipped his bow and arrow set on his back. She laughed at his comment about the birds; somehow he knew how to cheer her up.

"You have a pretty laugh, my Queen" He smiled turning back to her, making her blush once more before concentrating on his task. She watched him as he found a piece of parchment and a pen, rolling up his sleeves before dipping it in the ink. He did so in a very graceful manner, something she didn't expect from a thief but what caught her eye was the tattoo inked on his right wrist. She went breathless, her mind racing back to that night merely 3 months ago when Tinkerbell led her to a tavern, to a man who she was supposedly destined to be with. She'd been too scared to approach him then but it looked like fate had given her a second chance. The question was could she take it?


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it, I'm really enjoying writing this story :) I also want to thank you guys for the awesome reviews, that means a lot! It keeps me writing! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just the happiness I give them :)**

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Chapter 3

It had been a day since she'd seen the lion tattoo inked on his wrist and a day since she couldn't do anything about it. She'd wanted to run all the way back the palace when she'd first seen it but her injuries kept her in Robin's care and she couldn't do anything about it. It seemed like fate had a funny way of bringing people together. _So you ran away the first time? Well now you can't_. This so wasn't funny, it felt as if she was being mocked. She huffed just as she heard him enter the tent, probably with more food or bandages.

"How are you feeling, m'lady?" he asked carrying a tray containing a bowl of soup and some bread.

"Fine, my headache has cleared" she huffed, not in the mood for conversation. She just wanted him to leave, for her mind to stop thinking about that damn tattoo.

"I brought you some of the stew the merry men made for lunch, I think you'll be able to keep it down now," He said placing the tray in front of her, it did smell good.

"What kind is it?" the aroma filled the tent and made her stomach growl. Why did she need to rely on the outlaw so much? As much as she wanted him to disappear, his kindness made her want him to stick around. Luckily (or unluckily) she knew she would be stuck with him for a while, at least until she was well enough to go home.

"It's deer with carrots and some herbs, it's a favorite among the merry men," he said as he took a seat on the stool beside her. He watched as she took a spoonful, quite a large spoonful at that. He was surprised at how adventurous she seemed to be. It seemed she kept surprising him every day for she wasn't what he pictured the queen to be like at all but in the best way possible.

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As it turns out, the merry men were quite good cooks. The stew was delicious and sat well in her stomach. For the first time since she'd woken up she had a bit of energy and itched to get out of bed. "The stew was delicious, thank you" she smiled, his blue eyes were captivating.

"I'm glad you found it so, I was worried it wouldn't be quite to your standards," he stated, taking the tray off of her lap and putting it just outside of the tent.

"It was fine, I've eaten much worse trust me," she laughed, as he reentered the tent.

"I highly doubt that, your majesty" he smiled, sitting at the end of the bed.

"You would be surprised at what the cooks prepare at the palace; it's not always mouthwatering good." She could recall many meals that were disastrous, the palace cooks seemed to be very experimental.

"Really? I thought food at a palace would be exquisite," He was puzzled, just another surprising thing he learned about the Queen.

"It's true! The palace cooks have always been experimental, sometimes just a tad too much for my liking," She laughed; those meals were always the most entertaining.

"Well, at least they'll never be boring," He smiled looking into her eyes; she was stunning in every way.

She captured his gaze as she smiled, no one had looked at her with such adoration since Daniel, and even then it felt different. This, it just felt right. "Do you want to go for a walk?" The question rolled off her tongue before she could stop it but had she really wanted to?

"If you're well enough, m'lady" He stood up, his eyes still locked on hers.

"I think I am. I've been dying to get out of this bed." Robin smiled and pulled back the blankets, helping her move to the edge of the bed.

"You can hold on to me," he said, holding his arms out revealing the tattoo on his wrist once again.

Regina took a breath before taking hold of his wrists, her hand brushing against his tattoo. He lifted her up and she felt her feet touch the ground and took a step but tumbled into him instead.

"Ouch," Her head had collided with his shoulder and she could feel his arms around her waist. She noticed he smelled like forest, it was nice.

"Are you alright?" She lifted her head from his shoulder, and realized how close they were, she could feel his breath on her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit rusty is all," She smiled to reassure him.

"Shall we then?" He removed his hands from her waist and pointed to the door of the tent.

"Uh, I need my cloak…and shoes" She said as she lifted one of her feet from under her dress to prove her point.

"Of course, I'm sorry m'lady," He frantically went to search for them, as if he'd just been awoken from a dream.

He mentally slapped himself as he collected her cloak and shoes, how could he have been so stupid? It was like she had put him under a spell or something of the sort. No, he couldn't be falling for her could he? She was the bloody Queen and she was married. This was not good.

"Here you are your majes- Regina," He corrected himself obviously still flustered about everything as he handed her the cloak and shoes.

"Thanks," She smiled taking her things, slipping her boots on before tying the cloak around her neck. "I'm ready now,"

"After you", he smiled as she walked out the tent, following her close behind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chapter, I think it's my favourite to date! There's definitely more fluff in this chapter, I hope you guys like it and please review :)**

**Disclaimer: Once again I don't own any of the characters, if I did they would all live happily ever after.. :) **

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Chapter 4

There was a slight breeze blowing through the forest as they walked along the beaten path. The trees were beautiful shades of reds and orange and some birds could still be heard chirping in the distance.

Regina and Robin walked in silence; neither had spoken since they'd begun. Regina took in her surroundings, closing her eyes just to breathe in the fresh air and freedom. She felt Robin's hand drift to the small of her back every so often, probably making sure she wouldn't fall. However she no longer felt dizzy, the fresh air did wonders for her lungs and she felt the best since she'd awoken in his tent.

She looked over at him giving him a smile, one he returned. She liked this, being alone in the forest. It felt like anything was possible and for the first time in forever she didn't feel like the Queen at all. Instead, she felt like the innocent girl who fell in love with a stable boy. She just felt free, something she thought she'd never feel again. Yet, here she was in the middle of the Sherwood Forest, accompanied by the man with the lion tattoo of all people. She almost wished that she could stay here forever but she knew that to be impossible. She couldn't abandon her duties as Queen, especially not with her mother looking over her every move. She supposed she'd just have to enjoy her time here, which would have to be enough.

Robin took another glance over at the Queen. She was stunningly beautiful but he couldn't help but wonder who the woman was behind all of that. He could tell she had many walls up, like a mask of sorts and during the past few days he'd seen glimpses behind it, yet he yearned to see more.

She smiled at him and he couldn't help himself. He broke the silence. "So what is your story, Regina?"

She was taken aback by his sudden question and a lump formed in her throat, "Wh-what do you mean?" Her past was not something she talked about, partly because no one ever asked her about it and because it was all too painful to recall.

"I mean, for someone who lives in a palace why have you bothered to stay here with me? I thought a Queen would want to leave here as soon as possible but you; you don't seem to be in much of a hurry to leave. Which leads me to wonder, how you became Queen in the first place, it wasn't your first choice was it?" They had stopped walking now as he faced her, trying to read the expression on her face. She was stunned and looked like someone who was stuck at a crossroad deciding which way to go.

She couldn't believe what she'd heard coming from Robin's mouth, she didn't think she was that much of an open book, actually she always thought she was closed book with a lock but somehow the stubborn thief had seen behind her walls. Perhaps she had softened on him during the past few days, but this- maybe it was too much. Yet she could hear a part of herself telling her to open herself up to him, to trust him and for some reason she couldn't say no. She looked down at the forest floor giving herself a few extra seconds to think before facing him again. "You're right; I never wanted to be Queen. It was forced onto me by my mother, all she ever wanted was power,"

"And she sought for it through you? I can't imagine going through that. Shouldn't you be able to choose your own path?" He asked, dumbfounded by her reveal, what mother who do that to her child. She would have to have been heartless.

"That's what I used to think, but I've learned that life doesn't always turn out the way you wanted it to. I was in love once, you know. With the stable boy who used to work on our estate. Riding horses, it was my favorite pastime for multiple reasons." She said leaning on a tree nearby, it was too hard to say it all straight to his face.

"What became of him?" She looked sad now and he could tell this story ended far from happily ever after.

"He was killed, because of me. We were engaged and had plans to runaway together but one day there was a girl who was riding a runaway horse and I saved her. Turns out she was the King's daughter, Snow White. The Queen had passed and he was traveling looking for a new wife. My mother new of this somehow and bewitched that horse carrying the princess, it wasn't an accident that I saved her. The King he proposed to me and my mother accepted on my behalf because I was too stunned to speak. That night Snow caught me with Daniel and I made her promise me not to tell my mother of what she saw, but she broke it. My mother, she ripped his heart out in front of me and crushed it. I watched him die and there was nothing I could do about it." She had tears in her eyes now and was on the verge of breaking down, the memories all too fresh in her mind.

"Oh, Regina," He stepped towards her pulling her into his arms and she felt powerless to stop it. The tears she was holding in escaped her eyes as she nestled her head into his shoulder. She could feel his hands rubbing circles in her back, doing his best to comfort her.

"Why don't we sit down?" she could hear him ask and she nodded following him down to the ground, sitting against an old maple tree. She held him still, her head nestled in his shoulder and his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." He apologized; he never wanted to make her feel this way. He hated seeing her so broken. No one deserved living through what she had, no wonder she had lost faith.

"It's not your fault; the universe just seems to have a thing against me being happy," she sighed, looking up at the sky.

"I highly doubt that," he mused, if someone deserved happiness, it was her.

"Then what do you think?" she was curious about his thoughts about life.

"I think that everything happens for a reason, that the stars will guide us to where we're supposed to go," he kissed her hair and took her hand in his, playing with her fingers.

"So you think our lives our written up there, in the stars?" she asked, his hand felt warm in hers. It was soft yet tough, feeling just right entwined with hers.

"I think so, at least some parts" He smiled at her.

"What about us? Where do we fit into all of this?" she turned towards him, waiting on an answer. She knew why of course but was curious about what he had to say about it.

"Being philosophical now are we?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just answer me," she laughed, before giving him a nudge with her elbow, "thief"

"Fine, fine." He played with her fingers some more before catching her gaze, his voice more serious, "Honestly, I do not know. But one day I think it will become clear, to both of us. We'll look back on this moment and realize hey, that's why I met you,"

"I hope so," she smiled, keeping his gaze. She'd never opened up to anyone like this, and if felt like a million pounds had been lifted off her shoulder. She closed her eyes and nestled into his shoulder again, feeling herself drifting off to sleep. She felt him nudge her slightly, but she didn't move. "Hmm?" she mumbled, not wanting to move.

"I say it's time we head back to the camp, before you fall asleep" He said, stroking her raven hair.

"Okay," she smiled as he slowly stood up and stretched himself out before crouching to help her get to her feet. She took his arms and he helped her stand up and regain her balance before letting her go.

"Are you steady?" he asked, before they began their walk back to camp.

"Yes, thank you." She smiled as he led the way. Once again they walked in silence, close enough that their hands brushed twice before she took his hand in hers entwining their fingers together. He looked at her in surprise and she just smiled. Yes, something had changed between them in the forest that day and she hoped it was just the beginning.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the wait, but here's the next chapter! I promise it will get more interesting soon, I just need to build it up to that point. I hope you guys are still enjoying this story! As always, please review :)**

**disclaimer: I still don't own any of these characters **

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Chapter 5

A few of the merry men were gathered around a campfire when Robin and Regina returned to the camp. They noticed their leader was with a woman, realizing she must have been the one he saved a few days ago. Little John was the first to address them.

"So, who do we have here? She's a fair maiden if I do say so myself," he smirked, rising from the log he had sat on.

Robin rolled his eyes, he was not in the mood for his mens' teasing but he supposed it was bound to happen sooner or later, "Shut it Little John, I saved her life you know"

"_Little_ John?" Regina asked raising an eyebrow, for the man was well over six feet tall and definitely not starving.

"I was named after my father, he also had a sense of humor" he shrugged, "may I ask your name?"

"I, I'm" she stuttered, she hadn't thought of an alias and her mind was failing her at the moment.

Little John looked at her curiously before Robin butted in,

"Marian," he blurted, "her name is Marian," She looked at him curiously and gave him a smile for saving her.

"Nice to meet you, Maid Marian" he offered his hand for her to shake and she obliged. Looking past him she saw other men gathered around the fire.

"Who are they?" she asked.

"Oh yes, well as you know this is Little John he's my lieutenant. Over there is Friar Tuck, Arthur a Bland and Much the Miller's Son -" He paused, watching as Much fell off of the log he was sitting on, "he's new"

"Ah, that explains the rookie move," She laughed

"He's really not that bad. He just needs to learn…a lot" He sighed, earning an eye roll from Regina. "Hey, just give him some time and I'm sure he'll turn into a fine lad,"

"If you say so," she chuckled, turning her attention back to not so Little John.

"I can tell by your dress you're not from the village. Why have you stayed so long with a band of thieves? Shouldn't a young lady like you be living the high life or whatever the rich like to call it?" He asked. The question had burned in his mind since he first had laid eyes on her; she stood out like a sore thumb in her fancy attire.

"Little John!" Robin was furious, how dare his lieutenant ask such a question.

"It's alright, Robin" Regina put her hand on his arm, calming him down before addressing Little John, "My family's estate is a few days journey from here and I'm not yet in the state to travel." She smiled at Robin, seeing him relax and Little John seemed to have eased up as well.

"Oh, well then you are in good hands Maid Marian. Robin is a man of his word; he won't let you go until you are fully well,"

She smiled and nodded, the sun was setting and she could feel her eyes getting heavy. "I'm sure he will," She felt a yawn coming and was sure Robin could see her eyes closing, fatigue was slowly taking over her.

"You should lie down and get some rest," Robin said putting his hand on the small of her back keeping her steady, "I'll see you men in the morning," He nodded and led Regina back to his tent and helped her remove her shoes and cloak.

"Thank you, for back there. You saved my butt." She smiled, as he draped her cloak over the stool by the bed.

"There's no need. I just hope you don't mind being Marian,"

"It's fine, where did you get that name from anyways?" She asked, sitting on the bed.

"To be honest, I was just thinking merry men, Marian. It was the best I could do under the circumstances. It's a wonder we didn't think of one before"

"I wasn't thinking that far ahead I guess," She smoothed the blanked on the bed as he joined her.

"Me neither," He found her gaze; she was stunning – always had been and always would be.

"Thank you for the walk today, I had a good time" she smiled, thinking back on the day. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt that free.

"It was my pleasure; it's not every day you get to walk with a beautiful Queen," He smiled at her and made her blush. "But now it's time to rest," He stood and pulled back the blankets, motioning for her to get in and she obliged. He tucked her in and sat back down, his thumb caressing her cheek. "Sleep well," he hesitated for a moment before kissing her forehead.

She leaned in to his touch and closed her eyes, feeling his lips on her skin. He pulled back and saw her smiling as her eyes fluttered open, "hmm, stay with me?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, for in the moment he could see how broken she was and he ached to hold her. To comfort her but he would never take advantage of a women.

"Yes," she stated, looking right into his eyes. He needed no more reassurance and removed his cloak and outdoor layers before lying next to her in the bed. She brought his arms around her waist and leaned into his embrace, nestling her head into his shoulder. The smell of forest engulfing her before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the wait but here's the next chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, that right belongs to A+E**

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Chapter 6

"_Mother no!" Regina screamed but Cora plunged her hand into his chest and pulled out his heart. _

"_Have you forgotten already my child? Love is weakness. It feels real now, at the start it always does but it's an illusion. It fades and then you're left with nothing. But power, true power endures and then you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want." He collapsed to the ground as she squeezed his heart and Regina ran to his side but it wasn't Daniel this time, it was Robin._

"_No, no! Mother Why?" She held him tight, watching hopeless as Cora turned his heart to dust._

"_You've forgotten my dear. You are queen and you must do your duties, hold on to your power. You could have never loved him; well he was just a thief. No better than a stable boy, perhaps worse, I'm saving you Regina. It's time for you to come home._

_She reached out for her mother but she faded away into the darkness._

Regina awoke with a startle, forgetting for a moment where she was. In the tent, with Robin Hood who was asleep beside her. Sighing, she laid back down and remembered the dream. It had started off like the usual one she'd been having since Daniel's passing, but what startled her most was in this dream it wasn't Daniel her mother had killed, it was Robin. That frightened her, had she attached herself to him that quickly? What had she been thinking last night, inviting him to sleep with her? Right, she hadn't been thinking. She mentally slapped herself in the forehead and something her mother had said in her dream echoed in her mind, "_You are queen and you must do your duties…_ _It's time for you to come home." _Perhaps it was time she went back to the palace, she felt better today and probably was strong enough for travel. She got out of bed, brushed her hair and put on her cloak and shoes. She took one more glance at Robin and stroked his hair. It hurt to leave him like this but it was the right thing to do. Her mother was right; they could never be together no matter how much she wanted it. She kissed him on the cheek and wrote a quick note on a piece of parchment, stealing a canister before leaving the tent.

It was still early in the morning and none of the merry men had awoken yet so the campsite was still silent. Across from the fire pit where Much was asleep she spotted a few horses, the saddles and reigns on a fallen log beside them. One of the horses she recognized as one from her carriage and saddled it up. Hoisting herself up she began riding into the forest. She knew there wasn't a river too far from the camp, Robin had spoken of it a few times and she needed a drink.

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Robin awoke to the sound of birds, feeling happier than he could ever remember. That was until he noticed he was alone in the bed. He hoped she had just gone out to fetch some water or something of the sort but he had a feeling that wasn't the case. He dressed himself and slung his bow and arrow over his back, he was about to leave when he noticed a letter sitting on his trunk. He paused, thinking of the worst and took a breath before reading.

_Dear Robin,_

_I'm so sorry. I can't stay here anymore; it's time I return to where I belong. I hope you understand. I just beg of you one thing, please don't come after me. I hope you do know how grateful I am for your kindness, for saving a perfect stranger. I didn't deserve all your kindness but yet you gave it to me. For that I'm forever grateful. Thank you._

_Love, _

_Regina_

No, this couldn't be it. He needed to see her again, even if it was just one last time. He folded the letter and tucked it into his cloak. He was going to find her, he would always find her.

Leaving his tent he heard a commotion going on outside. His men were all gathered around their horses. At the moment Little John was giving a mouthful to Much, who was on the verge of a breakdown.

"Hey, what on earth is going on?" he asked, approaching his men.

"One of the horses is gone and Much was supposed to be on watch," Little John explained, eyeing Much the whole time.

"Hold on I know who took it, it was Re-Marian." He put a hand on Little John's shoulder, "I'll go find her."

"You mean the woman you saved? How despicable! And she had the nerve…" Little John exclaimed, his anger lashing out again.

"I hate to tell you this mate but technically it was her horse, the one she took." Robin had noticed that when he first approached them, it had been their only black horse and it was gone. Little John rolled his eyes and let his leader through watching him has he prepared his horse for a journey. "Now I don't know when I'll be back, but Little John I put you in charge while I'm gone."

"Good luck mate," Little John winked, watching as Robin ascended his horse and disappeared into the forest. He knew love when he saw it and one thing was for sure, his leader was in it.


	7. Chapter 7

**So here's the next chapter, I hope you're all still enjoying this story! I had fun writing this chapter, Regina & Robin decided to get a bit playful on me ;) **

**On a little side note I realized tonight I seem to get ideas for this story while washing dishes. Seriously, for some reason my mind wonders a lot then and I start writing chapters in my head. It happened tonight and I realized for some earlier chapters as well. Weird right? Anyways, without further ado, here's chapter 7! :)**

**Disclaimer: As usual I don't own anything (as much as I may want to, I don't)**

* * *

Chapter 7

"Regina! Regina!" He called out anxiously riding his horse, how far could she have gotten? He rode further into the woods until he come upon a clearing and realized the river wasn't too far ahead. Perhaps she had stopped for something to drink or to bathe. He followed the trail and saw her horse tied to a maple on the river's edge. It was eating an apple and as he rounded the corner he saw Regina squatting in the river. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and approached the river. It looked like she was filling a canteen, one no doubt she had stolen from his tent. He could tell she was trying not to get too wet but was failing miserably. A large wave came out of nowhere and she shrieked toppling over completely in the river. He jumped off his horse and tied it near hers before jogging over to help her out of the river.

"M'lady, are you alright?" He offered her his arm but she refused.

"Yes, I'm fine." She huffed, ringing out her clothes "Did you not read my letter or was I not clear enough?"

"I did and am I right in saying that it was most likely spontaneous. If it was, you wouldn't have any supplies for an hour's journey, let alone days." He smirked; he just loved pushing her buttons.

"I, I suppose your right. I didn't think of that, all I was thinking is that I needed to get out of this place. You smell like forest" She admitted, she hated when he was right.

He stepped closer to her, testing the waters. He quite liked her like this, it was how could he put it, intoxicating. "Since when did that become a problem? I thought you liked it, or did my charm turn you off," He teased inching closer; he could almost feel her breath.

She tried to resist him, but he was making it so damn difficult. Being so smug and she hated to admit it but right. "Fine, maybe I do like it but this," She gestured to the forest around them, "Isn't my life. It's all just a distraction; my life is at the palace. I don't belong here, it was a mistake staying this long," She shook her head, why was her life so cruel. All she ever wanted was to be free but this was too painful. She could see a life here with Robin, a good one but she could never have it.

"Perhaps," He pondered, wishing there was something he could do. He hated seeing her so unhappy but alas they were stuck. "At least allow me to accompany you home. So I know you'll arrive one piece of course," He watched as a smile returned to her face, god he missed that smile.

"Fine," She laughed, "But _don't_ get in my way"

"I wouldn't dream of it," He replied, as she began walking back to her horse. He followed behind; yes this was going to be an interesting journey.

* * *

"So I assume you have all the supplies, unless you were being a hypocrite" She raised an eyebrow, as she re-tied a sack to her horse.

"I do, hopefully it's enough to last us until we reach the next village. I also brought these," He lifted a shawl and a peasant dress from one of his bags. "We can't have you sticking out like a sore thumb now can we?"

"I don't have a choice do I?" She sighed, though the clothes didn't look too bad. They definitely had lots of wear left in them.

"Nope," He smirked as she ripped the clothes from his hand and went off into the forest to change. Five minutes later she re-emerged from the forest, the dress was simple in beige with a v-neckline but the shawl in deep red had a sparkling brooch.

Robin was speechless, "Wow, you look…"

"Normal?" She presumed, the dress was plain but at least the brooch brightened it up a little.

"I was going to say beautiful," He smiled

"In this?" she said dumbfounded, she looked no more than a commoner.

"Yes, you look beautiful in anything you know" He explained making her blush.

She shook her head, stuffing her clothes in the sack and tying it back on to his horse.

"There, now shall we go?" She asked, patting his horse.

"Of course," He smirked putting his foot in the stirrup to hoist himself up on the horse. "Follow me,"

Regina mounted her horse and did as he said, following him through the forest. They winded through the trees until they emerged onto a path that would lead them to the next village away.

* * *

"Thank you," she said. They'd been riding for an hour or two in complete silence when she realized she'd never given him a proper thank you. She always seemed think more clearly on a horse; it was like a kind or therapy for her.

"For what?" he asked.

"For saving my life, taking care of me. You know the same old," she smirked, feeling playful.

"It was my honor, your majesty. It's not every day you find a queen in the middle of a forest," He replied, pulling on the reigns a little.

"No I guess it's not, but you do realize I'll be forever in your debt. How will I ever repay you?" She pondered playfully.

"Hmm, perhaps some golden dipped arrows?" She raised an eyebrow, "I'm joking, your company will suffice" He smiled, it was true after all. He wanted nothing more than to be with her for as long as he could.

"Really? You wouldn't want anything at all." She asked surprised, for wouldn't a thief like him want something, at least a bit of gold?

"No, I wouldn't" He said looking over at her, "For there is no price equal to saving someone's life,"

He looked deep into her eyes, as if penetrating into her soul and she knew. In that moment she had truly fallen in love with him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for such a late update, I've been busy lately. I wrote this late last night so I apologize if there's any mistakes. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, I don't think it's my best but I'll give it to you guys anyways, so I get to where I'm going. I promise the story will get more interesting soon. The part I've been waiting for is coming in the next chapter (I think), so stay tuned for that! As always, please review :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't anything, as usual.**

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Chapter 8

The forest began to thicken and Regina wondered where the heck he was leading her. The sun was setting; the sky brilliant shades of orange and she thought they'd be getting closer to a village by now not farther.

"Are you sure we're going in the right way?" she called out, fighting off a few branches as the path became narrower.

"I assure you I know these woods by heart, m'lady," He answered, turning back to face her and smirked. "Don't you trust me?"

"You're insufferable," she huffed, trying to contain her smile. This man just did things to her; he brought out feelings in her that she hadn't felt since Daniel. She would be lying if she said it didn't scare her, it scared the hell out of her. Yet, she couldn't back down. It was exhilarating, and maybe, just maybe she could be happy again.

"But you still love me," he teased, "Everyone loves me."

He just loved pushing her buttons didn't he? She rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't say _everyone,_" she smiled.

"Really? Name one," He dared her.

"Well, any rich person you've stolen from for starters. And must I say that squirrel you almost ran over back there didn't seem too fond of you," She smirked; now _this_ was fun.

"Very funny," he chuckled. He had to admit, she had wits.

"Now, will you please tell me where on earth we are going?" She demanded, as they rounded another corner. It seemed the path was getting smaller, if that was even possible.

"Patience m'lady, we're almost there." He said pushing a rather large pine branch out of his way.

"Are you sure? Because I really don't thi-OW!" She yelped, as the branch Robin had pushed flung back hitting her square in the face. "That's going to leave a mark," she murmured, rubbing her forehead.

"Are you alright?" He stopped a few feet ahead of her, hearing the commotion behind him. If she wasn't so angry, he would've found it amusing. He forgot sometimes that she was the Queen and not as accustomed to the outdoors as much as he was.

"I'm fin – whoa." She gasped at the sight before her. Apparently hidden behind that bloody branch was a beautiful meadow, filled with brilliant shades of red and orange. It looked like the kind of place she'd dreamt about as a child, a paradise in the middle of a dark forbidding forest. She chuckled to herself, kind of like how Robin was a beacon of light in her dreary life. How poetic.

"Told you I knew where I was going, didn't I?" He smiled, hopping from his horse.

"What is this place?" She said, still in awe. She couldn't figure out how much beauty could be in one place.

"A while back the Merry Men and I stumbled upon it and camped here for some time. I must say, this by far has been my favorite site." He explained, offering her his hand. She took it without hesitation and hopped off her horse.

"I can see why," She mused, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"I'm glad you like it. After all it will be our sleeping quarters for the night," He said untying one bag from his horse, holding it up to show her.

"No," she shook her head, "I thought we were –"

"Going to town where someone might recognize you? We can't take that risk." He took a step towards her, "besides I thought you enjoyed staying at my camp."

"I didn't have a choice and at least you had some sort of bed." She retorted.

"Well like it or not m'lady, we're pitching a tent." He placed the bag in her arms, and began unloading a few more things from his horse. She hated when he was right.

* * *

An hour later she stood in front of the tent, examining their sleeping quarters for the night. It was simply made, large sheets of blue fabric tied to wooden posts. She was surprised at the amount of wood he gathered, enough for a fire as well.

"What are you thinking?" Robin asked, coming up behind her. He'd been working at making a fire to harness some heat.

"The tent, it just looks…cozy," She shivered, feeling the temperature drop already.

"I believe we've slept in small quarters before m'lady, at _your_ request," He said, taking another step towards her slowly invading her personal space.

She seriously wanted to punch him, then kiss him and then punch him again. He just had to keep pushing her all buttons didn't he? For a moment she thought of closing the gap between them, her eyes flickering towards his lips, again. But her head brought her back to her senses. She couldn't do this, no matter how much she wanted to. Instead she stepped back and focused her attention to the roaring fire behind them. Anything to take her mind off of him, off of everything she couldn't have. She sat down on the log and felt him join her. They sat in silence, watching as the fire slowly burned into embers leaving nothing but ash in the hollowed pit.


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, I got a little excited and well this is the result. An insanely long chapter! I've been waiting for this moment since I came up with this story and I couldn't wait to write it. So you guys are getting a quick update! I hope you like it, this is the longest chapter I've ever written so hopefully it's alright. I apologize if there's any mistakes, my stories aren't beta'd. As always please review, I love to hear what you guys think!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything and obviously never will (Lucky ducks Adam & Eddy!)**

* * *

Chapter 9

Robin began to stir, it was morning but he realized he wasn't alone. Regina had snuggled into his side and was clinging on to his shirt as if for dear life. His arm had also wrapped itself around her side. He supposed she had moved during the night, perhaps because of a dream? Who knew, however it seemed he would be stuck there for the time being at least until she woke. So much for starting breakfast he thought. His eyes rested back on her, she looked beautiful even as she slept. So peaceful and light, very unlike her guarded self she was when she was awake. He had wondered where that side had come from. It seemed her sickness had brought about a softer side. She had let her guard down around him. But now, she was feeling better and went back to her old ways he supposed. He quite liked her softer side though, that's when he saw how vulnerable she could be, how much pain she was fighting with. He just wanted to kiss it all away, yes that was he secret: he wanted her. It was about time he admitted it to himself but she was the bloody Queen. He shouldn't feel this way, but he did. It was hopeless and pathetic, for he was just a common thief. He had no business feeling this way, she was off-limits and he'd just have to deal with that. He sighed, watching as a smile formed on her beautiful face, god he missed that smile. He watched as her eyes flickered open, still half asleep before she realized how close they were.

"I…um" She stuttered releasing her grip from his shirt, "sorry"

"It's alright, did you sleep well?" He asked putting some space between them.

She smoothed her hair, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "Yes, thank you."

"I'll go…start a fire," he said motioning to exit the tent and slipped on his boots.

"Okay," she said, sitting up.

"Okay," He said. For a moment their eyes locked, something different reflecting in both of their orbs: lust.

He left the tent and let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Well that was the most awkward conversation they have ever had. He had to get his act together around her, he thought running his fingers through his hair. It would be difficult, but he had no choice. He took another breath before heading into the forest to search for wood. He only hoped it would take his mind off of the Queen.

* * *

Her eyes were still focused on the entrance to the tent after he left. What the hell had just happened? That had to have been the weirdest conversation they'd ever had. The question was what changed? They'd been fine all of yesterday until…until she almost kissed him, again. That's when things had suddenly changed but that meant no, it couldn't be. He didn't have feelings for her could he? Perhaps, but what did it matter? They could never be, she was married and had another life. One she couldn't abandon, no matter how much she wanted to. She needed to shake these feelings for the thief out of her. It would be for the best, she couldn't take any more heartbreak anyway. But what if she wanted to take the risk? What would that mean? No, she couldn't think that way. She shook the thought out of her mind and refocused on the task at hand, getting dressed.

She emerged from the tent a few moments later and joined Robin by the fire. He handed her a bowl of porridge and she purposely sat a few feet away leaving a gap between the two of them. They shot each other a few glances as they ate and Robin attempted to make small talk but silence inevitably followed. They washed the dishes once they finished eating and Robin threw a bucket of water on the fire to put it out.

Silence continued to follow them for the rest of the day as they packed up camp and continued on their journey. They rode through fields and around a few small villages, then back into the forest. Occasionally she would point out a bird in the sky or he would tell her about different plants they rode by. It was nice and slowly the awkwardness of the morning began to fade, her heart feeling lighter than she could ever remember.

"Regina, come look!" He called her over to where he had stopped on the edge of a small cliff. She obliged stopping next to him and looked to where his eye line was going. Her curiosity faded as she realized what he was pointing to and she sighed, "Home"

Out in the horizon she could see the large castle, surrounded by the kingdom lights. It did look beautiful but it meant their journey would soon come to an end. The realization then hitting her, she'd probably never see him again.

"It's a remarkable view isn't?" He said, still staring out at the horizon.

"Yes, I suppose it is." She said sadly.

His eyes looked back towards her and he noticed she looked sad but why? Perhaps they had stopped long enough, "Shall we continue?"

She only nodded and he went back towards the path hearing her following him close behind.

* * *

It only took another hour to reach the entrance to the city, an hour that was way too short if you asked Regina. As they rode into town she put on her hood so she wouldn't be recognized by anyone. She wanted to savor the last few moments they had together before they would be forced to part ways. They wound their way through the quiet streets until a pair of very familiar gates stood in their way.

"Well here we are," Robin said, looking at the thick iron bars that blocked the path up to the palace.

"Here we are," she said. She could take her hood off here and go inside but she wanted more time. She wasn't ready to say goodbye, not here. She looked over at Robin and thought hard for a moment until an idea struck her mind. "Follow me"

"Wait, Regina –" He called out but she rode quickly up the street not giving him a choice but to follow.

She felt adrenaline running though her blood and rode with the wind in her hair. She could hear Robin behind her and wove through the streets heading up behind the palace into the forest that surrounded the regal grounds. She came to a halt in a little clearing she'd found one day on a walk. It wasn't as beautiful as their campsite but it was her getaway. A fallen tree laid across most of it, now covered in moss. It was her spot to sit and clear her mind of the day's work. She dismounted from her horse, sat on the log and waited. She heard him coming a few moments later, he hadn't been far behind.

"There you are, where are we?" He asked, taking in his surroundings.

"The palace is just over there," She stood up to join him and pointed to the west, "This is my secret place, no one knows about it except me…and now you"

She smiled half heartily watching as he hopped off of his horse.

"So why are we here?" He asked, walking towards her leaving just a bit of space between them.

She was about to respond but caught her tongue. She could say it was to elongate their goodbye or to get more privacy but it really boiled down to one thing: him. Maybe it was crazy, impossible even but for some reason she didn't care. Up to this point other people had dictated her life. For once she wanted to do something because she wanted to. Screw it if there were a million reasons why she shouldn't, there were also a million reasons why she should. So she caught her tongue and instead of saying something she grabbed his shirt and brought his mouth to hers. His lips were warm and soft and she felt his hand come up to cup her cheek. He deepened the kiss as she granted his tongue access. It just felt so right.

They leaned their foreheads against one another as they regained their breath. He stroked her cheek, looking deep into her chocolate orbs.

"That was…" He didn't know what to say, but he was smiling – they both were.

"It was." She finished, she knew exactly what he was getting at. She'd never been kissed that way before, not even with Daniel. This kiss was full of passion and lust but his lips also molded to hers perfectly, like he was her other half – Her _soulmate._

He chuckled and captured her lips again, running his hand through her hair. She melted into his touch and lost herself in his kiss. She felt him tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear as he slowly pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers.

"What does this mean?" He asked, stroking her cheek.

This was the moment she was dreading, "I still have to go back,"

"Why? You said you were miserable there," He asked, wanting more than anything for her to come with him.

"I am Robin but still I have things at the palace and leaving Snow like that, it just wouldn't be right. Even if I only tolerate her, she is only a child. I need to do this on my terms, do you understand?" She explained, praying he wouldn't hate her.

He nodded, "I can't convince you otherwise can I?" He saw tears in her eyes and realized this wasn't easy for either of them.

"I promise we'll work this out, I just need time." She explained, stroking his cheek.

"I understand," He did, he really did. She had duties and she couldn't just leave them, no matter how much she wanted to. He just needed hope. Hope that everything would turn out alright in the end.

"Thank you," She smiled, giving him a quick kiss.

"You should go change. I don't think they'll let you into the palace looking like that." He teased, wanting to see her beautiful smile again.

"Hey, I thought you liked this look." She retorted but couldn't help but smile.

"I do, but you don't look much like a Queen do you?" He said, stroking her cheek.

"If you say so," She quipped and gave him another kiss. "I'll be back in a minute,"

He let her go and watched as she found her robes in one of the bags and disappeared behind a few trees. After few minutes she reappeared looking just like the woman he had saved what felt like eons ago yet she was so much more.

"Better?" She asked, adjusting her dress a little. It felt more uncomfortable the she remembered, it seems she'd gotten used to her commoner clothes.

"More regal I think," He told her, to him she looked beautiful in anything.

"I wish I didn't have to go," She admitted, cupping his cheek.

"Me too," He said, it was devastating, but there was nothing he could do.

"I promise I'll make this work," She smiled feeling tears swelling in her eyes.

"I know," He stroked her cheek and captured her lips with his once more. He savored the feeling of her lips on his so he wouldn't forget.

"I should go," she murmured, pulling away from him. The quicker she did this, the less painful it would be. At least she hoped that's how it would work. However he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Wait; meet me here in 3 days' time?" He proposed. He needed to know he'd see her again soon. He wouldn't let her get away that easy.

"Okay," she nodded and her lips formed into a smile.

He pulled her in for one last kiss before reluctantly letting her go. He watched as she hoisted herself up on her horse and he smiled at her as she rode away. She looked back at him once more before disappearing from view, a tear rolling down her cheek. She had convinced herself she was making the right choice but now as she rode away from her soulmate she wondered, had she really? It took all of her willpower to not run back to him but she needed to do this. It was time Regina Mills took control of her own life once and for all.


End file.
